Defender Kelvin Mellor has signed for Crewe Alexandra after being released by Carlisle United.

The experienced player has signed a 12-month deal at the newly-relegated League Two club.

It sees 31-year-old Mellor rejoin the home-town club for whom he played from 2008-14.

He is the first of the eight released United players to get fixed up with a new club.

Crewe finished bottom of League One last season, meaning Mellor will come up against the Cumbrians in the 2022/23 season.

Mellor made 25 appearances for United last term after joining from Morecambe in August.

He featured under successive managers Chris Beech, Keith Millen and Paul Simpson.

But he was informed by Simpson at the end of the campaign that he was not being retained.

Crewe expressed their delight at signing the right-sided defender who, after initially joining Crewe from Nantwich Town in 2008, made 92 appearances for the Railwaymen.

That included promotion and EFL Trophy successes at Wembley.

The ex-Blackpool, Plymouth Argyle and Bradford City man will play under Alex Morris afer his appointment as Crewe manager at the end of last season.

Mellor was released by United along with Lewis Alessandra, Danny Devine, Mark Howard, Jamie Devitt, Manasse Mampala, Rod McDonald and Gime Toure, though Devitt has been invited back for pre-season training at Brunton Park.

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